Log raft.



J. A. CAMPBELL.

I LOG RAFT.

` APPLIGATIUNl FILED JAN..31, 1905.

PATENTBD SEPT. 26, 1905.

z SHEETS-SHEET i.

PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

J. A. CAMPBELL.

LOG RAFT. 4

APPLICATION FILED JAN. s1. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sri-mins VPattern; onirica.

JOHN A. CAMPBELL; OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERTSON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

HUGH R.

LOG. RAF-r.

intended to be towed' from the place where built to a destination where they are to be broken up and the logs used.

.My invention consists in a raft comprising a lower or'carrying component of relatively great beam and small draft, an upper or carried component resting upon top ofthe lower component, and suitable means for securing the two` components together.

It also consists in thel novel means for securing the two components together and the novel self-tightening tow-chain connections, all of which, together with the objects of my invention, I shall hereinafter fully describe.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my raft. Fig. 2 is a topy plan, partly broken, showing the arrangement and connections of the fore and aft tightening-chains and the tow-chain. Fig. 3 is a central cross-section of the raft when first completed and before the settling'together of the logs and the corresponding selftightening of the chains.

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the relative position of the two components of the raft after the logs have settled together.

. The raftcomprises a lower or carrying component A and an upper or carried component B. The lower component consists of an assemblage of logs fashioned longitudinally in cigar shape, as seen 1n Figs. l and 2, and

`in transverse section in an ellipsoidal shape,

the ends and bottom being curved and the top flattened, as seen in Fig. 3, the major axis of the section being transverse, so that a maximum or relatively great beam ishad with a minimum or relatively small draft. Chains C encircle the lower component A at suitable intervals and bind the logs together. The upper component B is also composed of logs and is fashioned longitudinally to a cigar shape, as seen in Fig. l, while in cross-section it' is approximately circular, as in Figs. 3 and 4. The l Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 3l, 1905. Serial No. 243,560.

Patented Sept,l 26, 1905.

I upper component B is borne upon the flattened top of the lower-component A,'the two being bound together by suitable means. y

, Before describing the connection of the two raft components I shall for the s'akey of clear-- ness point out the object of this" relative arrangement. This object is twofold-rst,.to enable me to make a very large raft, and, second, to provide for the self-tightening of the binding-chains during the voyage as the logs` settle in closer to each other. The first of these objects is attained, or, rather, made possible.,- by providing a great breadth of beam for the lower or carrying component without correspondinglyincreasing its depth. In single symmetrical rafts as heretofore made an increase in beam means'acorrespondingincrease in draft. The draft being limited tothe depth of the harbors at the beginning and endy of the rafts voyage, a limit is thus settfor the size of the raft, and therefore of its contents. Toincrease the beam of a single raft without increasing its depth'is destructive ofstability; but

by placing the upper or what may be termed the deck-load component, such as B, (here shown,)'upon the top vnent A the latter may be made very wide,y and still remain of light enough draftto enter the harbors. Thus the aggregate number of logs in the two components which go to make the single structure may be enormously increased without affecting itsfdraft and without detractingfrom its stability. In f act, the relative arrangement of the two components of the structure is such that the stability is even`increased, for as the weight ofthe deckload component causesit to-sinkV from the initial position of 3 into the top. of the carrying component the sides of the latter bulge up or rise, and the whole structure floats in the water in about the position shown inFig. 4, the uplifted sides of component A protruding above the water, while the very bottom of component B sinks below the line. In this position the structure is stable and of light draft. The second object--namely, the tight-l eningof the chains-is thedirect result ofthe weight of componentB upon them.Y During the voyage no matter how tightly the building-chains are initially shackled the logs settle closer together andthe chains loosen; but

with the upper component bearing down upon i of the carryingcompo- IOOv the chains and sinking down into the lower component said chains are kept taut no matterl how much the logs settle together. The arrangement of the chains and the connec- `tions of the two components are such as to produce this self-tightening result. Longitudinally-extending logs D D on the top of component A serve as a kind of cradle be-.

tween which the upper component securely rests. Around the upper component at suitable intervals are chains, each of which is composed of two parts. One part E is shackled at e to the adjacent chain C of the lower component and thence passes in one direction between the two components and up around one side of the upper component to the top. The other part E is shackled at e to the same chain C of the lower component and thence passes in a direction opposite to the part E between the two components and 4up the opposite side of the upper component. The adjacent ends of the parts E and E are shackled together on top of the upper component at e2. Thus it will be seen that the chains E E are practically doubled wherethey cross, and they hold the upper component in such a way that any tendency to roll results in a tightening strain not only upon themselves, but upon the chains C as well, thereby tightening all the chains under all circumstances in the Seaway. Short chains F eX- tend between chains C and E FX, just outside the cradle-logs D D and hold the latter in place.

In practice in order to relieve the chains of the rubbing weight of the raft components and to give them freedom enough to tighten I slip in pieces of wood Gr between the two components under the cradle-logs D D alongside of the chains C and other pieces of wood H between the cradle-logs D D and the upper component alongside of the chains E E.

The arrangement of chains to tighten the raft longitudinally to pull the ends together and to tow the structure is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and is as follows: Secured to the rear end of the lower component A and thence extending forwardly along its top is a chain I, which in its course is secured to each of the chains C. This chain I terminates with a block z'. A second chain J is secured to the forward end of component A and thence extends rearwardly along its top, being secured to each of the chains C, which it passes, and terminates with a block j' near the block e'. The tow-chain K enters the forward end of the upper component B and is inclined downwardly to and around block 7l, thence forwardly to and around block j, and thence back again to block c', to which it is secured. This forms a tackle by which in towing the ends of the chains I and J are pulled together, thereby tightening the raft longitudinally and also tightening all the encircling chains C and E E.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A log raft comprisinga lower, carrying component with encircling chains to bind its constituents t-ogether, an upper, carried component resting on top of the lower component and having independent chains to bind its constituents together, and means for securing the two components together.

2. A log raft comprising a lower, carrying component, chains encircling said component, an upper, carried component on top of the lower component, and resting upon the top of its encircling chains and means for holding the components together.

3. A log raft comprising a lower, carrying component, chains encircling said component, an upper carried component on top of the lower component, and resting upon its encircling chains and means for holding the components together, consisting of chains encircling the upper component, crossing below the same and secured to the chains of the lower component.

4. A log raft comprising a lower, carrying component with relatively large beam and small draft, an upper, carried component resting upon the top of the lower component and having a beam less than that of said lower component, and suitable means for fastening the two components together.

5. A log raft comprising a lower, carrying component with relatively large beam and small draft, chains encircling said lower component at intervals, an upper, carried component resting upon top of the lower component and upon its encircling chains, said upper component having a beam less than that of the lower component, and suitable means for holding the upper component in place.

6. A log raft comprising a lower, carrying component with relatively large beam and small draft, an upper carried component resting upon the top of the lower component and having a beam less than that of said lower component, chains encircling the lower component at intervals, and other chains secured to said Erst-named chains and encircling the upper component at intervals.

7. In log raft comprising a lower, carrying component with relatively large beam and small draft, an upper, carried component resting upon the top of the lower componentand having a beam less than that of said lower component, chains encircling the lower component at intervals, and other chains encircling the upper component at intervals, said lastnamed chains having their ends passing between the two componen ts, crossing each other from opposite directions and secured to the chains which encircle the lower component.

8. A log raft composed of a lower, carrying component, an upper, carried com ponent, rest- IOO IIO

ing upon thetop of the lower component, longitudinally-disposed cradle-logs, on the lower component between which the upper component rests, and suitable means for securing the components together.

9. A log raft composed of a lower, carrying component, an upper, carried component, resting upon-the top of the lower component, longitudinally-disposed cradle-logs on the lower component between which the upper compol nent res'tsyand. suitable means for securing the components together, consisting of chains encircling the lower component, and other chains encircling the upper -component, said last-named chains having Ytheir ends passing between the two components, crossing each other f-rom opposite directions and secured to the chains which encircle the lower component; Q

10. A log raft composed of a lower, carrying component, an upper, carried component, resting upon the top.of the lower component, longitudinally -dispose'd cradlelogs on the lower component between which the upper .component rests, and. suitable meansr for securing the components together, consisting of chains enclrcling the lower component, and

other chains encircling the u'pperoomponent,

the chains of the lower component to draw in'g on top of the lower component, means for securing the two components together, a chain secured to the rear end of the lower component, extending forwardly and terminating with a block, a chain secured to the forward end of said lower component, extending backwardly and terminating with a block, and a tow-chain extending from the forward end of the upper component and having its rear end passing as a tackle between the terminal blocks of the'chains of the lower component to draw them together in, towing the raft.

12. A log raft comprising a lower, carrying component, an upper, carried component resting ontop of the lower component, chains encircling the lower component, chains encircling the upper component, crossing between the componentsand secured at opposite sides lto the encircling chains of the lower component, a chain secured to therear end of the lower component extending forwardly and secured tothe encircling chains of saidv lower component vand terminating with la block, a chain secured to the forward end of said lower component, extending backwardl y and secured to the encircling chains of the lower component and terminating with a block, and a towchain extending from the forward end of the upper component and having its rear end passing as a tackle betweenthe terminal blocks. of v them together in towing the raft.`

In witness whereof I have hereunto `set my hand.

JOHN A. CAMPBELL.- W'itnessesz W. H. BEATTY,

MAY A. HARRIsoN. 

